diminished
Britishadjective
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reduced or lessened; made smaller
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music denoting any minor or perfect interval reduced by a semitone
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music denoting a triad consisting of the root plus a minor third and a diminished fifth
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music (postpositive) (esp in jazz or pop music) denoting a diminished seventh chord having as its root the note specified
B diminished
Explanation
If you drive through a tunnel, you’ll notice that your cell phone reception is diminished. When something is diminished, it’s been weakened or lessened. Diminished is an adjective used when something has lost its power, prestige, or worth. The value of a car, for instance, is diminished over time by wear and tear. In some instances, diminished means "belittled," or made to seem like less in the face of something perceived as better or greater. The popularity of a laptop, for instance, will be diminished if a cheaper, more powerful model is released. Leaders and politicians who get involved in scandals often suffer diminished reputations.
Vocabulary lists containing diminished
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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The City of Ember
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Music - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Over the past 15 years, the Hindenburg Omen’s effectiveness appears to have diminished, data showed.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
But it comes at a time when the small community is also dealing with a lack of affordable housing, limited traffic capacity and years of diminished tourism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
And proxy advisory firms that weigh in on proposals have seen their power diminished.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Hollow Pond in East London was seen diminished in size.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Column space for joking articles about ghosts and gossip diminished as the idea of Southern secession grew more common.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
